Bears brace for run-and-shoot

Wherever Hawaii coach June Jones has gone, the scoreboard has lit up like a Christmas tree.

Whether in the NFL with the Houston Oilers, or in the USFL with the Houston Gamblers and Denver Gold, Jones’ run-and-shoot offense has produced the kind off numbers that defensive coordinators have nightmares about.

Maybe nowhere has Jones’ offense been more successful than in Hawaii, where the University of Northern Colorado football team will travel on Saturday to play the 23rd-ranked Warriors.

Since taking over the Warriors program Jones’ pass-happy offense has led the Western Athletic Conference and been ranked in the top five nationally each season, including leading the nation last season in points per game (46.9), passing yards (441.29) and total offense (559.21).

Despite Jones’ success, it is not an offense that is widely used at the collegiate or professional level. UNC offensive coordinator Dennis Darnell believes that may be because few coaches like Jones really understand how to run it.

“Not many teams do it because I think you have to understand all the ins and outs, and you have to be committed to throwing the ball most of the time,” Darnell said.

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Jones got his tutelage of the run-and-shoot under the man who made it famous, Mouse Davis, now the offensive coordinator at Portland State. Jones was a quarterback for Davis when he was a head coach at Portland State in the 1970s and was later his offensive coordinator when Davis was head coach of the USFL’s Denver Gold in 1985.

While Davis and Jones have stuck with the run-and-shoot, others have stayed away from it.

Darnell thinks a lot of coaches stay away from it because they are worried their defenses won’t be prepared for stopping the run facing a pass-happy offense in practice.

“I used to think that was true myself, but Oklahoma back when they won the national championship with Bob Stoops, I think convinced me that that wasn’t true because they were a throwing football team like crazy, but yet they had one of the best defenses in the country, so I think that theory is a little dispelled.”

Like any offense it is continually evolving and changing. Even Jones himself said every offense in the country runs some form of what the Rainbows run now. Even UNC coach Scott Downing doesn’t consider Hawaii’s offense a true run-and-shoot, but more of a variation that uses a drop-back passing attack instead of a rolling pocket.

While it might not be an easy task going against that Jones’ offense, UNC cornerback Myles Hayes still relishes the challenge.

“As a corner, you like the ball in the air,” Hayes said. “Ask anybody in the secondary. We like the challenge and we look forward to it.”

JONESING ON THE RUN-AND-SHOOT

A look at some highlights in the coaching career of Hawaii’s June Jones

1984: While coaching in the USFL with the Houston Gamblers, led the USFL’s top offense to a division title with QB Jim Kelly.

1985: As offensive coordinator with the USFL’s Denver Gold, led the league’s No.1 offense to the Western Division title.

1987-88: As QB coach with the Houston Oilers, led one of the NFL’s top offenses under Pro Bowl QB Warren Moon to two consecutive playoff appearances after a 10 year drought.

1990: As co-offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions, took the worst offense in the NFL and made it the 5th highest scoring offense in the NFL with 373 points.

1991-93: As assistant head coach of Atlanta Falcons coached two different QB’s to their first Pro Bowls, Chris Miller in 1991 and Bobby Hebert in 1993.

1995: As head coach of the Falcons, he took his team to the playoffs.

1999-2007: As head coach at Hawaii, Jones’ passing offense has led the Western Athletic Conference and been ranked in the top five nationally each season, including first in the country in 2006 after being ranked second the previous five years.